A Little Gift from ENCOM

 

Chapter 6: Changes

 

 

Ed looked at the cup of coffee Judith brought him into his office as if it was the first time in his life anyone brought him coffee without being asked for, simply for reasons of kindness.

“What’s this?” he grumbled low, glancing beneath furrowed brows at the steaming beverage on his desk.

“One calls it coffee. People use to drink it when they’re tired”, Judith replied, a faint sarcasm twitching the corners of her smile.

Ed was turning to the screen again. “You’re not my secretary”, he mumbled while typing swiftly, not hiding the disgust in his voice at the thought Judith would somehow lower herself to the actions of a secretary.

“But I’m your work mate. Never heard of work mates offering each other coffee?”

Ed didn’t respond, just kept his slightly red-rimmed eyes on the screen, sitting there in a rather unhealthy position, neck bended, back bowed, shoulders tensed.

“Don’t get me wrong Ed, but you need a holiday”, Judith stated, straightforward, not caring if he could take this as an offence. Because she knew he wouldn’t. There was hardly a thing she couldn’t venture. It was a privilege he granted her exclusively.

“I can’t. I have to keep an eye on things.” The glance he gave her while speaking, that brief glimpse of a glance darting up to her for a second, made her suspecting that there was a double meaning hiding in his words.

Is it that Flynn issue again? She thought, slightly irked.

Dryly she answered him: “You don’t have to. You can have every trust in me, and you know it, Ed.”

Ed’s typing seemed to slow down a little for an instant, but he wasn’t enlarging upon this topic, just kept on working, silently, staring eagerly at the screen.

Judith was watching him for some moments, finally turning away from him to leave the office because actually she was about to clock out. But after three steps she turned to him again. “Is there something I can help you with?” She said, her voice caring and cordial.

Ed looked up from his screen and with sober but honest friendliness he replied: “No. You can go home. Please, enjoy the evening.”

Judith walked a few steps closer to him until she reached the front of his desk. Then she spoke, a hint of softness in her voice: “If we would split work, then we both could enjoy the evening.”

The look he gave her she couldn’t really read. But there seemed to be something like gloom and strain in it.

“I need to do this on my own,” he just said, taking up again his typing and focusing the screen, cutting every hint to his mood.

And Judith was heading the door again, accepting what he said, but regretting it at the same time.

“Judith!” he suddenly held her back just as she reached for the door handle.

“There will be some changes around here”, he entrusted her. “Just have a little patience.”

Again Judith felt like Ed's talking about work was only the surface of a meaning reaching deeper than his words would tell.

 

 

 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

 

 

 

As Judith was walking through the corridor heading for her working place, she saw Ed coming her way.

He just came from the regular morning meeting, and as he passed her he said to her, briefly and neutral: “Just heard the good news. Congratulations”, heading further to his office.

He was talking about Judith’s elevation.

From the next month on, she would be his assistant, which included equal responsibility to him as well as being his substitute when he was away. At last Alan – who was also the human resources manager – had decided to create this post. She was relieved and happy for Ed, as well as proud of herself being the one who’s been chosen for that position.

 

She slightly furrowed her brows as Ed was out of sight. He must have known about her promotion before… After all it was he who had suggested her for this post, who had been enthusing about her in his conversations with Alan. This she knew from Alan, of course.

She was shaking her head, but yet she had a slight smile on her lips.

 

 

The day was passing and she was in a good mood. The work was going fluently, she had even time to chat a little with the fellow work mates around her, joking, having a good, productive but yet amusing and relaxed workday.

Lifted with high spirits she even seemed to notice Ed more than usual. Or was he just showing himself more often than usual…?

Yes, indeed, he was, she concluded. Where ever she resided, he was sooner or later appearing there too. If in the open plan office, or the cafeteria, on the balcony, in the break time room… He seemed to sneak around as if intending to talk to her, but giving it up in the end. Maybe because she always was with other people...

Finally he caught her in the break time room, alone, where she was throwing some coins into the vending machine to get a chocolate bar. He was watching her until she had finished.

“What about celebrating your elevation by a dinner? This Saturday?” He asked her, dryly, as if just making out some appointment for a business dinner.

Is this an invitation to a date? Judith thought, taking a bite from her chocolate bar, slightly amused and full of sizzling curiosity. She leaned against the automat, eating and enjoying this conversation.

“Just the two of us?” She wanted to know, the smallest trace of a smile in the corner of her mouth.

“Yes. Do you like Korean food?” he replied and asked in one breath.

“Never had. But I guess I should try it then.”

“Okay. Is eight o’ clock fine for you.”

“Yes, just fine.”

“I’ll pick you up at Perrone Gardens, at that fountain there. That’s right in your way, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, perfect.”

And Ed was concluding their conversation with a brief nod, leaving the room in the same second. Judith was watching him disappear.

That was the driest invitation to a date she ever got. But yet the most anticipated…

 

 

 

The Korean restaurant Ed was taking her out to, was quite a noble place. One of the more expensive restaurants, she guessed.

It was a very wide, huge room, almost a hall, with a high ceiling, a spare interior design and a very tasteful ambience. Dimmed, warm light was sparely placed here and there, indirectly positioned, unobtrusively, their source almost indefinable. The furnishing was neat and well designed all through. Dark, heavy, shiny ebony contrasting with light bluish colors, and everything was very edgy and angular and without any round corners.

It was certainly not the over decorated, kitschy, cozy Asian restaurant she was familiar with. But she loved it, that sort of a plain, unadorned, simple and graceful beauty.

 

They were eating, their table covered with a colorful arrangement of precious tableware, vegetables, rice, meat, sauces, spices and beverages.

And Judith was enjoying the spicy, exotic delicacies as well as the appetizing presence of the gorgeous man in front of her, her love, her desire for him seeming to grow with every bit of tasty morsel melting on her tongue while her eyes were feasting on his beauty.

Ed was far from being somehow charming or hearty, but he wasn’t mean or moody either, not a bit. He was all gentleman and well mannered. And one could have a good conversation with him, because he was well-read and had a huge fund of knowledge. If politics, science, economy or actual world affairs; there was hardly any topic he wasn’t confident with. His knowledge was so detailed and profound that he always knew how to argue and to substantiate his opinion.

As long as a topic had a solid ground, was something logical, rational and provable, something tangible and empiric, it was common ground to him. But everything regarding emotions, everything vague or spiritual or irrational, seemed to be beyond his sense of understanding.

For Judith just a weak spot she didn’t hold back to hit, in the gentlest ways of debating.

 

As the evening was nearing its end and they already had their desserts, Judith noticed Ed getting more and more quiet. He was looking over to her very often, remaining silent. But he wasn’t smiling or flirting either, was showing the same sober behavior like the whole evening through. And Judith took advantage of the silence unfolding and tried to challenge him with some tender flirting herself. But he was not responding to it, was swerving from her every smile.

And yet his gazes at her, intense and long, but surreptitious, were telling way more than he probably wanted to divulge. Although he always seemed to look away or to do something evasive whenever she caught his gaze, it was obvious that he was staring at her. She saw it out of the corner of her eyes.

And it was all she needed to know.

 

 

It was raining as they stepped out of the restaurant.

“Oh…” was Ed commenting, looking up to the sky, brows furrowed. “Wait here while I get a taxi”, he told Judith to stay under the baldachin of the restaurant’s entrance.

In the same second he was heading for the street, he turned on his heels and came back to her as if forgotten something.

“Umm…” He brushed his perfectly groomed bangs out of his forehead so that they became slightly tousled – but only slightly because they were fixed with hairspray, like always, to keep every strand from falling out of place.

“Do you want to come to my place for a drink or do you want to go home?” He asked her then, the tone of his voice a tad too dry and neutral, his head turning to the street, constantly, unsteadily, as if still watching out for a taxi.

Is he nervous? Judith was thinking to herself, slightly amused, but enchanted at the same time.

He added, casually: “I have some Port at home. Burmester Ruby… 40 years…”

Judith smiled in the corner of her mouth. As if she needed some fine Port to be seduced to come to his flat… She knew already what she wanted: To make love to him. Wanted it like never before.

But yet she was charmed by his sweetness. Burmester Port was her favorite alcoholic drink. She absolutely loved it. And somehow he must have known about it. It would have been a huge coincidence if he had bought it just by chance.

“Sounds tempting…” she replied, softly smiling. “I’ll come to your place.” She held his gaze with hers. In his face she could read nothing, no reaction, no emotion.

Or was he blinking a little faster? Maybe only imagination…

“Okay”, he said, slightly nodding, diving again into the pouring rain as he spotted a taxi approaching. He waved, but it was passing by. “Fuck…” he muttered, returning to Judith under the baldachin.

There were tiny silver drops scattered all over his hair, a few on his glasses, one dripping down his temple, two other ones running along his jawline to his chin, finally dispersing within his stubble.

Judith could have kissed him here and now, at this very moment, not worrying about taxis or anything.

But Ed was running for another taxi. One which finally stopped and brought them to his home.

 

 

 

It was a huge, modern building he lived in. Expensive apartments, decent neighborhood, classy district, but yet lively and colorful and quite in the center.

After passing the concierge in the spacious entrance hall they were stepping into the elevator.

Without speaking a word Ed was standing next to her with his arms crossed behind his back, moveless, emotionless it seemed. But as Judith looked at him close she noticed some tiny movements stirring his ever-farouche features. Like his jaws slightly tensing, over and over again, his eyes quickly blinking, his tongue moistening his lips from time to time.

Judith moved closer to him. And at this moment he reached out one arm to wrap it around her shoulders, looking at her, flashing a faint smile, bending over to briefly kiss her temple.

At last! Judith thought, rolling with her eyes unnoticed. She had almost begun to feel like she was nothing but a girl he picked up for a one night stand.

She let her arms slip around his waist. The damp, warm scent of Ed’s wet hair and his wet clothes, a trace of his fine eau de toilet underneath, faintly flavored with his natural body odor, was simply delicious. She dove her face into this bouquet of scents, kissed his cheek, his throat, his collarbone, while his tense hands seemed to search her body for an appropriate place to rest.

The elevator door opened and they stepped out to the corridor. His arm still resting on her shoulder he led her to his flat.

 

 

It was a spacious, wide flat with a very clean, very tasteful interior, but radiating also a certain amount of coldness and the lack of coziness and personality.

“Take a look around. Or… or take a seat. Do as you like”, Ed told her, again with a brief little smile appearing on his lips for an instant. Then he was heading for the bar to prepare the drinks.

Judith stepped out of her high heeled shoes and took a look around. Eagerly she was searching for, hungering for some traces of personality. Even the tiniest object would be a treasure to her loving heart, would satisfy her longing for getting to know her lover’s innermost core.

And the more she was diving into Ed’s personal space, his home, his private territory, the more she discovered: In another room, behind a half closed door she spotted a synthesizer. In the back of the living room, in a dark corner; a small, cold-blue illuminated saltwater aquarium. Besides the phone, on a commode; a greeting card from Prague – she didn’t dare to turn it around. On the coffee table; a chessboard made of glass. On one shelve of his wall-to-wall cupboard; an old Apple // from 1977, displayed like a precious antique. On the same cupboard; some CDs – a strange assortment of Jazz and Electro – scattered wildly around and on his stereo, some of the CD-covers opened, the discs somehow carelessly spread around.

Judith smiled. Pleased, relieved, her heart beating warm with the love she felt.

 

As she was joining him at his home-bar – a tiny spare with a curved, nearly two arms wide counter, a little freezer and some alcoholics on a cupboard – he already held out the filled glass to her. “Cheers!” he said, watching her expectantly, taking only a little sip. 

“God… this is delicious!” she confirmed, honestly captured by the rich, sweet taste, taking yet another delightful sip. And Ed’s smile grew a little bigger, warmer. Somehow he seemed like a child, pleased about having found the perfect gift.

“How did you know?” Judith asked with a cheeky tone in her voice, slightly swinging her glass towards him.

“Know what?”

“That this is my favorite drink!”

Ed smirked in the corner of his mouth. “I have my sources…”

“So you’re spying on your employees…”, she joked, shaking her head and clicking with her tongue.

“No. Only on you…” His smile was broad and warm now, even charming.

And Judith enjoyed that rare kind of smile while it was lasting, tried to hold onto it by returning it, letting her eyes rest in his, deeply and full of affection. He broke the moment by pouring some more Port in her glass.

“You seem to know me quite good…” she said, flirtingly.

“I wish I would…” he answered. Then he suddenly escaped this conversation by taking his glass and heading the window front, seeming slightly embarrassed as if he just realized he may had revealed too much emotion.

Judith followed him.

 

And they were standing now there, looking down to the city, the lights, the streets, the freeways.

The glass in his hand, sipping from time to time, Ed was leaning with his hip to the windowsill, a neon sign from across the street casting a pulsing ray of purple light across his chest, his black, shiny silk-shirt.

“I think I have a déjà vu …” Judith dared to speak about Darek for the first time, while looking deep into Ed’s eyes.

He remained silent for a few moments, his face motionless, his body tensed, his eyes resting in hers.

He was captured.

“I’m so jealous of him …” he finally admitted. He said it quietly, almost without sound, briefly glimpsing out of the window.

“But you created him, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

 “For you… “

“I know Ed… But why?”

He kept silent for a heartbeat. “Please don’t ask…” he whispered, softly insisting, in his voice a trace of bitterness. Then he placed his glass on the windowsill, leaned forward and kissed her, the palm of his hand around the back of her neck, his thumb gently stroking her cheek, her ear.

“You stay the night?” he asked her, unsurely, seeming to be slightly worried her answer would be No.

“Of course, Ed. That’s why I came here with you,” she replied, softly smiling.

He kissed her again, somehow released, freed, more passionate now. And she tasted and responded his kiss, his long and delightful kiss.

While not breaking their kiss, his one hand was gliding over the tender fabric of her blouse, and she felt his breath on her cheek growing a tad faster, stronger at the moment the tips of his fingers were brushing over the tips of her breasts.

Judith began to stroke his caressing hand in reply, in a gesture of liking, of encouraging. And he went on, finally started to open her blouse. And after he had slipped the clothing from her shoulders he stopped kissing her, looking down at her instead, looking at her breasts being freed from the bra by his trembling fingers.

Judith reached out to stroke his rough cheeks which were rushed with blood now as if in fever, looking at him in sweet affection while he was caressing her naked skin and enjoying the sight as if he couldn’t believe this was happening.

His fingertips were following her spine, gliding down to her backside, gently grabbing her and pulling her to him.

She felt his crotch to her belly, hard, warm, tempting. And as she touched him there, he began to sigh on her shoulder. The sweetest sighs she ever heard.

As if searching for something, Ed was tracing the seam of her skirt with restless fingers. He found it. The zipper, which he pulled. And while he was slipping the skirt from her hips she began to unbutton his shirt, fervently caressing and kissing the skin she uncovered.

“Come…” he whispered, leading her to his bedroom.

 

 

She was sitting on the edge of his bed, only dressed in her panties now, watching him taking off his glasses, his pants, everything.

The room was only lit by the glow of the street lights and the moon, filling it with twilight, leaving smooth shades all over Ed’s body and his face.

How beautiful he was… Now standing there in front of her, nude and pure and only himself. Showing, offering her his most private, most intimate self. He, without his neat clothes, without his façade of arrogance, without his mask of coldness. Only he. He was hers, all hers.

He sat down beside her, continuing to kiss and caress her, receiving her kisses and caresses in return.

He was so gentle, so cautious and hesitant. And very nervous… Almost appearing inexperienced. His arousal and tenseness was so visible, so plain, in his every gesture, and it seemed to grow with the intimacy of his touch increasing. His hands were shivering as he pulled off her panties, and his breath was a hot staccato on her neck.

While raptly looking into her face as if intoxicated by her beauty, he kneed down before her on the floor, beginning to spread fervent kisses over her breasts and her belly, licking her skin as if tasting an exquisite tidbit.

And as his kisses gingerly reached her lap, she leaned back, bending one leg in invitation. Which he took, very tender and devoted, his fast, hot breaths a tickling sensation on her skin.

It took only a few licks and she was almost there, already clenching her fingers into the blanket in sweet thrill, as he suddenly interrupted his caressing and began to kiss the inside of her thighs instead.

“No… Please don’t stop!” she sighed in breathless protest, forcing his head back to its former place. And he continued, even more intense, as if apologizing. Only a few heartbeats later she came.

 

They were lying on the bed now, side by side. Ed’s face was covered with beads of sweat, some wet strands of hair falling into his forehead. Judith brushed the moist stubbles on his upper lip with a brief, tender kiss, then she bended over his lap, starting to caress him, feeling his hand grasping her hair, hearing his deep, soft moans and sighs responding to her every action.

She enjoyed it with all of her senses, feeling her arousal growing anew with every pleasing caress she was doing to him. Enjoyed what Darek never could have given her: taste, scent, touch of her lover’s most intimate parts.

After a while Ed gently forced her to stop by grabbing her shoulder and turning her chin towards him. And as she lay next to him again he whispered low while breathing rapidly: “I want to feel you… now…”

She kissed him once more and opened her lap to him.

He invaded her, a little too hasty, a little too fervent.

She was highly aroused and she was experienced, but yet she felt a brief little flash of pain, for he sized more than any man she had before.

But it was good. It was different from Darek’s loving, so different. But so much better. Because it was real. Because there was love. In every trembling move he made, in every overwhelmed sigh he breathed on her neck, in every glance from his love-drunken eyes.

She held his head to her chest, stroking, grabbing, kissing his hair, moving towards his pushes, increasing the rhythm to her liking.

“Judith…” he suddenly panted, somehow helpless, into the little hollow where the middle of her collarbone met her throat. “…it’s… too good…” His face… so hot and wet on her skin.

She felt him tensing, shuddering. Cuming.

But she wasn’t ready…

He buried his face between her right shoulder and the cushion, his body gliding from hers, exhausted and limp. “I’m sorry…” he mumbled breathlessly, real, deep, painful shame and remorse in his voice.

“It’s okay” she said gently. And it was okay, because she loved him.

“Let’s just wait a few minutes and then we start all over again. Hm?”

“Yes…”

He kissed her lovingly and dove his fingers into the wet, soft flesh between her legs, starting to caress her there as if trying somehow to sustain her arousal.

Judith didn’t need that, but she let him do. It was sweet and it felt good. In the meantime she helped him to get hard again, and he responded to this with ardent kisses and pleased sighs.

Finally he embraced her to love her again.

“Slow…” she whispered. And he was. Gently he glided into her body, and she took his entire size with delight.

In a soft and tender rhythm he rocked her body back and forth, his eyes not moving away from hers, only to kiss her from time to time.

In a gesture of pure devotion, of trust and love, she stretched out her arms over her head, letting him take over.

It was the sweetest, the most enjoyable loving she ever experienced. And as the intensity of his moves was increasing, and he shoved her steadily towards her culmination, she wrapped her legs around his waist in blissful tension, awaiting, wanting, letting go, giving into the sweet, hot rapture that was taking over her body, her mind, every part of her, while she was looking into his face, love and ecstasy merging into a feeling of overwhelming bliss.

Only moments later she heard his sighs of pleasure growing to an enraptured, unrestrained moaning and panting. And she held him tight, his shoulders shivering beneath her hands, his face buried between her shoulder and her neck, his hands grasping into the sheets besides her upper arms, as the short, intense release rushed through his body.

One moment longer he held their embrace, every muscle tensed, then he glided from her body, drained, weak, hard breathing.

She turned to him, looked at him. And so did he. He didn’t smile, he didn’t say anything, but yet his face was showing more emotion than ever before.

He closed his eyes, and only a few minutes later he had fallen asleep. Judith smiled and stroked his cheek in sweet affection, kissed him and just watched him sleep for a while.